While He Was Away

May 22, 2012 Emily rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, arc, for-review, blog-tour, own, book-boyfriends, chic-lit, favorites, love-the-cover, realistic-fiction, really-liked, review, ya-romance, young-adult, won

*An ARC was provided by Sourcebooks Fire in exchange for an honest review*

First off, let me just say that I LOVE this cover. It is amazing. I mean, look at it. I love it. The girl is so pretty and the guy's back is totally cute! ;p Anyway, on to the review! :P

I loved it. I don't usually like books like these, but I loved it. It was like reading a Sarah Dessen book, only a little better. I've never read a book about the army before, and this was a great introduction to the genre. The idea was ama...more

like 4 likes · see review

Oct 25, 2012 Reut (reutreads) rated it 2 of 5 stars

Originally reviewed on reutreads, a young adult book blog.

*2.5 stars

You guys, I love learning about new things in my contemporary. It happens in Joan Bauer novels, it happens in John Green books, it happens in Ally Carter books, and it is awesome. Whether those things are shoes or stocks or spies, I love learning in books. Which is part of the reasons why I like this whole Marine/Army sub-genre I see starting in YA. So now we have a book like While He Was Away.

Guys, I'm sad to say this, but this...more

like 1 like · see review

Oct 14, 2012 April rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ereader, netgalley, for-review, ya

It seems like the new trend in contemporary YA is to focus on the military, which to be honest, I find really cool. With Iraq and Afghanistan, lots of young adults are signing up for the military today and I think this crop of books really will speak to the experience of those people and those associated with them. While He Was Away by Karen Schrek is the first and definitely not the last military contemporary YA that I have read.

Read the rest of my review here

like 1 like · see review

May 14, 2013 Taylor Poe rated it 3 of 5 stars

The books plot is mainly about a girl named Penna. Penna is 18 years old and she she has a boyfriend named David. David is also 18 years old. David and Penna are really close then David joins the army and has to be deployed to Iraq. Penna was heart broken the day that she and Davids family saw him off at the airport. For the longest time she didn't know what to do with herself. One day her and her mother went up into the attic and Penna found an old photograph of her grandmother Justine, so whi...more

like · see review

Feb 23, 2013 Windy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

my casting for Penna and David

this was a 3.5 stars for me was a beautiful heartbreaking at times story a look at how girlfriends of a soilder deals and supports her solider the only thing that made it not not higher stars is i would have loved the book to go through the whole year and have David come back to have a HEA i really wanted to see that but it just kinda ended and was a little diapointed in that would have really liked to see this

like · see review

Nov 15, 2012 Isamlq rated it 3 of 5 stars

Don’t let the pastel colored sunset fool you into thinking this is a love conquers all thing. This is not just some sweet love story of a couple seeing things through to their happily ever after. IT’S BETTER THAN THAT. Mainly because it’s more real but more importantly less dramatic about the goings on.

There’s no closely held dark secret to discover; there’s no big mystery to solve… here it’s more on learning to hold on. But, instead of holding on to each other, it’s really about holding on to...more Don’t let the pastel colored sunset fool you into thinking this is a love conquers all thing. This is not just some sweet love story of a couple seeing things through to their happily ever after. IT’S BETTER THAN THAT. Mainly because it’s more real but more importantly less dramatic about the goings on.

There’s no closely held dark secret to discover; there’s no big mystery to solve… here it’s more on learning to hold on. But, instead of holding on to each other, it’s really about holding on to yourself. Sure there are other key moments of certain people moving on, letting go, and then making things right… but all of it leads to her not forgetting herself.

From the start one sees where things might go wrong: with the one left behind wrapping her life around the one who’s not there. She’s not really present merely just waiting for the next time he’s in the picture. For a good long while that is exactly what happens until more and more people come into focus.

Like her mother who has her own issues to deal with. She reads tough and no nonsense but has this big hurt she’s not hiding but can’t get away from. Like those people from the past, people whom she knew nothing about, but people she’d come close to and feel connected with for some odd reason or another. Or like all those other “new” people who make their presence felt in her life, so felt that the story no longer is just about David being elsewhere. So that’s what this becomes: it’s not just about the love of your life (love of her life?)

It’s about life moving on
…and her moving on with it.

But things could get slow and frustrating, especially how quickly (slowly) those realization came to her, that their each their own person, that they’re necessarily this something “big” she’d describe them to be. That she’s a life of her own. That he’s a life of his own, too … and that both their lives indeed move forward. So if at first she folds in on herself and doesn’t quite know where to pick up again, things still march on anyway… and so does she.

3.75/5

(I do feel this was better than both If I Lie and Personal Effects)(less)

like 6 likes · see review

Jul 29, 2012 Sara rated it 4 of 5 stars

After years of drifting around the country, seventeen year-old Penelope and her single mother Linda ("'Flotsam and jetsam,' she always said."), have returned to her mother's hometown of Killdeer, Oklahoma. Having inherited a house and bar and grill from her broken, alcoholic father, Linda struggles to deal with the betrayal of a mother who left when she was just a child.
But for Penelope--Penna to her friends--the move to Killdeer brought her to her soul mate, a fellow artist named David. But now...more After years of drifting around the country, seventeen year-old Penelope and her single mother Linda ("'Flotsam and jetsam,' she always said."), have returned to her mother's hometown of Killdeer, Oklahoma. Having inherited a house and bar and grill from her broken, alcoholic father, Linda struggles to deal with the betrayal of a mother who left when she was just a child.
But for Penelope--Penna to her friends--the move to Killdeer brought her to her soul mate, a fellow artist named David. But now, in the summer between her junior and senior year, David is shipping off to Iraq--and Penna is about to become an Army girlfriend.
"While he was away," by Karen Schreck (Sourcebooks Fire, 2012) is Penna's story, but it is much more than a chronicle of young sweethearts separated by war.
Sure that their love will last, Penna is determined to do all the things that Army girlfriends are encouraged to do: write constantly, always have have your phone nearby, send care packages, keep busy, stay positive.
Penna does everything she's supposed to do, but it's not always easy. For one thing, her mother is making her work at the Red Earth, the family bar and grill--and she's a hopeless waitress. Fortunately, she makes friends with Caitlin, another waitress at Red Earth; Jules, another Army girlfriend; and Ravi, David's troubled boyhood friend. ("...when they were young, they were just about the only brown-skinned kids in school. On bad days, David got called 'Spic' and 'Beaner.' Ravi got called 'A-rab' and 'Towelhead. ... They were loyal to each other.")
Penna also vows to find out more about the mysterious grandmother, Justine, who left Linda when she was only a toddler. Justine's first husband--and true love--was a soldier she married at the age of eighteen before he left to fight in World War II. He never returned--a fact that deeply resonates with Penna. Justine remarried and had Linda, but, as Linda bitterly recalls, "she left us for a ghost."
Even as the war changes David in ways that Penna only gradually comes to understand, Penna, her friends and family are transformed by events at home. This story about cross-generational love, loyalty, and forgiveness is a reminder that the fingers of war reach past the battleground and into the hearts and lives of everyone involved.

This review was originally published in the July 29, 2012 issue of the News-Gazette. To learn more about Karen Halvorsen Schreck and her writing, visit http://www.karenschreck.com/. (less)

like · see review

May 28, 2012 Majibookshelf Juhina & Farah rated it 2 of 5 stars

I had hopes that While He Was Away would be an eye opening, emotional experience for me, but unfortunately, it was not that. I understood it was about a girl's boyfriend being drafted and going off to Iraq, and the struggles she will be facing once he was gone. However, throughout the whole book I did not feel any emotional connection towards Penna. I felt like there were too many things going on in the book. Unnecessary things that do not have any relation to the main plot of the book but were...more I had hopes that While He Was Away would be an eye opening, emotional experience for me, but unfortunately, it was not that. I understood it was about a girl's boyfriend being drafted and going off to Iraq, and the struggles she will be facing once he was gone. However, throughout the whole book I did not feel any emotional connection towards Penna. I felt like there were too many things going on in the book. Unnecessary things that do not have any relation to the main plot of the book but were added to just increase the page count. Penna needing so much to look for her long lost grandmother all of a sudden raised a lot of question marks for me. Her weird relationship with her mother and blaming her for everything just ticked me off. I felt like she was the most ungrateful child ever! Even though her mother sacrificed SO MUCH for her, she still treated her like dirt and that totally rubbed me the wrong way.
Then we've got her relationship with David's fallen out best friend Ravi. After David left to Iraq, Penna had only a handful of encounters with him but somehow the idea of more kept on wedging in to the plot. I was just so confused on WHY would Penna even need to assure herself multiple times that he is just David's friend. Even though all they ever did was exchange a few awkward conversations. Yes, the plot could have gone in that direction, but with barely anything happening and for her to feel that way was just absurd.
To be honest, what really made me so disconnected with all the characters was a scene that happened with David and Penna. They went on a website to play this game where the target was an arabic guy, and the point of the game was to shoot red paintballs so they will splatter all over him (as if he is bleeding). While Penna was hesitant, David told her "Think of 9/11, he totally deserves this". Now THAT was so unbelievably offensive towards me and such an unbelievable generalization that I was stunned for a minute or two. I am muslim and arabic and like the rest of the world, I was horrified by what happened on 9/11. I really hate how as soon as people hear arabs and muslims nowadays they associate it with the act of terrorism. Which is why it hurt a little to read about that incident and I just lost all connection with these characters, which was why I just couldn't get into the story. I do know the author wanted to portray the reality of how many people think, I respect her for that, but I lost all connection or care for these characters after that.
All in All, While He Was Away held promise, however the main plot was not strong enough and the addition of many secondary plots somehow ruined the overall experience of the book. I hoped for more emotional, soul searching type of book, but that was not what I got. However, as always, if the book seems interesting, pick it up! you might enjoy it way more than I did. (less)

like 1 like · see review

May 23, 2012 The Fictionators rated it 3 of 5 stars

I've been flip-flopping on exactly what to say about this book since I read it. There are parts that I absolutely loved. And there are parts (like the end)--not so much.

I loved the cover. A lot of times, the cover doesn't match the book or what I think the couple looks like. This isn't the case with this book. The cover pretty much perfectly captures this couple and the emotions they are going through.

I felt like the Summary was a little misleading though: She knows in her heart he will come hom...more I've been flip-flopping on exactly what to say about this book since I read it. There are parts that I absolutely loved. And there are parts (like the end)--not so much.

I loved the cover. A lot of times, the cover doesn't match the book or what I think the couple looks like. This isn't the case with this book. The cover pretty much perfectly captures this couple and the emotions they are going through.

I felt like the Summary was a little misleading though: She knows in her heart he will come home. But will he be the same boy she fell in love with? David is deployed for fifteen months. This book only covers the summer, so we don't know anything about if he comes home the same boy she fell in love with.

Penna's an upcoming high-school senior who loves art. She's also totally in love with her boyfriend, David, who has just deployed to Iraq. He's crazy about her, too. Dealing with the grief of separation from David, Penna spends her time writing him constantly and getting a job at her mother's Bar & Grill. She meets Caitlin, one of the servers there, and Tom, the bartender who's been there forever. She also connects with David's childhood friend, Ravi, and Caitlin's friend who has a boyfriend who has also been deployed.

One day, Penna stumbles across a letter and a photograph of her grandmother, Justine. Since Justine abandoned Penna's mother, Linda, when she was a little girl, Penna has never met her. She decides to find her and that starts her on a journey that ultimately leads to discovering a lot about herself.

What did I like? I liked Penna. I liked her personality and felt like she was authentic. I loved that even though she felt weak, she made herself be strong. I liked her friends, and I really liked Justine and her history. I also liked David.

What wasn't so great for me? Definitely, the end sucked. I felt absolutely no closure at all. What could have been a really good book for me was practically ruined by the ending. I understood what was going on with David and think that lack of communication and security in relationships happens a lot. (view spoiler) I just hope this isn't an emerging trend in YA books. I want romance and swoon.

I also felt like there were parts that were slow and I wanted more to happen. Or for what was going on to seem to mean something. I also did not understand Ravi's presence. (view spoiler)

It's a quick read and definitely great for younger teens and anyone who likes YA Contemporary. Overall, I liked this book. I could have loved it, though.(less)

like 1 like · see review

May 08, 2012 Heather from NightlyReading rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book brought on many different emotions. Sadness, pride, love, fear, just to name a few.

Sadness

I felt sad for Penna. She was losing the one person who kept her stable. The one person that she felt that she could count on. He was leaving and it was very scary for her not knowing when she would see him again.

Pride

David was sure that he wanted to serve in the military. He had described it “as the right thing to do.” I was very proud that a young man made such an important decision and still fe...more

like 2 likes · see review

May 03, 2012 cupcake rated it 3 of 5 stars

Have you ever forced yourself to read a book, hoping that it will get better?

Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't. In the case of Karen Schreck's While He Was Away, it just didn't get better. At least not for me.

I really struggled to get into this book. I tried to care about Penna and David, she an 18-year-old on the cusp of her senior year of high school and he a high school graduate fresh out of boot camp and headed to Iraq. But you know it's bad when you hope the hero gets injured during...more

like 4 likes · see review

Mar 19, 2012 Katherine Bond rated it 5 of 5 stars

When Penna's boyfriend, David, leaves for Iraq, Penna can't be prepared for how much her life will change. There will be good things: phone calls with David from across the world, getting to know his childhood friend, Ravi, helping the Iraqi children David is working with. And there will be hard things: staying positive when she's breaking inside, hearing David's anguish when he begins to see things that haunt him, feeling more and more separate from him.

And what about all the other people in P...more

like · see review

Mar 03, 2013 Sara rated it 2 of 5 stars

Ok I normally don't write reviews but I know this book needed one. When I first picked it up I loved the cover in all aspects, title and picture. It drew me in. The same happened with the back and the synopsis of the book. I haven't read many stories like it so it was a chance. So I tried it. The first chapter, loved it, gave me the perfect amount of background. I got extremely excited to see what happens when he gets back yada yada. After that it went down hill. I understood the struggles she h...more

like · see review

Apr 23, 2013 Holly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle, real-life

I don't understand why this is rated so low here. This was a book that I grabbed from the library because I needed realistic fiction and this happened to look interesting. Then I saw the rating, but I still wanted to give it a try.

I liked Penna and David (even if Penna is a weird nickname for Penelope. How do you pronounce that?). I thought the characters were real and interesting. Since the story was called "While He Was Away", I figured we wouldn't be seeing much of David. I didn't know we'd b...more

like · see review

Apr 28, 2012 Marcie rated it 4 of 5 stars

While He Was Away by Karen Schreck is an emotional journey of a young girl named, Penna,and her life after she bids her boyfriend, bound for Iraq, goodbye. Penna and her mom have moved from place to place until they settled into her estranged parents house. It was love at first sight for Penna and David. They fell in love over art. David is Penna's world. However before David met Penna he signed up with the National Reserves. The story begins after he comes back from basic training. Penna tries...more

like · see review

Jun 03, 2012 Maddy rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: american-humanities

Penna Weaver’s boyfriend, David, is leaving for Iraq for a year. Sure, long distance relationships are tough. But they were gonna make it work. They were gonna write, call, email, they won’t let anything come between them, right? It’s only a year. David was going away to fight and protect his country, he was putting his life before everything. But a lot can change in a year. Penna could change. David could change. What if David was never to return home? Penna has to learn to deal with these que...more

like 1 like · see review

Feb 21, 2013 Jessica rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: own, want-to-rip-my-face-off-frustrating

WTF!?

Alright, this book has goods and bads.

Goods... I enjoyed the relationship that David and penna have. True love, first love. Always a beautiful thing. The pressure and real life situation of being in war and a girlfriend of a war "hero". It changes you and your relationship, whether you want it to or not, it happens reguardless. So the story line was good.

Bads... It took waaaay to long to get to the end. The end that totally BLEW!! No conclusion, no real ending. I know they will "try again"...more

like · see review

May 16, 2012 GW rated it 2 of 5 stars

So confused - uh, was that an ending? Not gonna lie, I didn't feel like that was an ending. It didn't conclude for me... I felt like I was left on a cliffhanger - even though this is a stand alone book (?) I guess it's one of those books where you don't really find out what happens in the end? Greeeaat!

Anyways, I did like it. But I felt so frustrated at times because this is a story about Peena and what happens when her boyfriend's away at war. The ending didn't help me out at all, and (view spo ...more

like 2 likes · see review

May 13, 2012 Melissa rated it 3 of 5 stars

Once again I need to remind myself... You can't judge a book by its cover!! I understood the point of the book, the view of the girl who got left behind while her guy was off to war, but I still kept expecting more. The more I read the more disappointing it was. I carried on though, thinking and hoping it would become better, but it didn't. IDK... The writing was good and the idea could have been good, but it just wasn't my cup of tea. I think my other problem with this book was that there was t...more

like · see review

Jan 10, 2013 04TrishB rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: book-review

Whirlwind romances, summer flings, desperate Romeo/Juliet situations–they’re the stuff of teenage dreams and wishes. I’d be lying if I said I never wanted any of those things, and most people can attest to the same. There’s something about being a teenager that makes one feel as though anything is possible and everything is open to you. Interestingly enough, the tag line for this novel is in that same optimistic vein: “Love can conquer any distance…right?” But While He Was Away suffers from much...more Whirlwind romances, summer flings, desperate Romeo/Juliet situations–they’re the stuff of teenage dreams and wishes. I’d be lying if I said I never wanted any of those things, and most people can attest to the same. There’s something about being a teenager that makes one feel as though anything is possible and everything is open to you. Interestingly enough, the tag line for this novel is in that same optimistic vein: “Love can conquer any distance…right?” But While He Was Away suffers from much more than just distance between the two characters, and doesn’t manage to raise itself from those depths in time for the ending.

I’ve spoken to former soldiers and learned about the military experience from ex-Navy SEALS and their families. I’ve read excellent Harlequins with military characters. So to a point, I can certainly agree that Karen Schreck’s narrative rings true regarding the difficulties of living an army/navy life. I just could not get past the sheer immaturity of the characters. Penna is particularly grating–she is barely developed enough to be more than just David’s girlfriend, and yet the story relies on her narration. Because she is so underdeveloped, there is very little to like about her (try as one might) and worse for the story, there is very little to care about. Penna’s experiences as an Army Girlfriend (emphasis mine) had the potential to be compelling and powerful, and it was disappointing to see them reduced to scenes that had little to no emotional power.

Beyond these problems with the story, I would have still recommended it to beginning YA readers, but there was one scene that bothered me enough to change my initial rating from a 2 to 1 star. Penna and David go on a website where they can “shoot” an Iraqi artist with paintballs. The simulation bothers Penna enough to have her hesitating, but David encourages her.

“Holy crap,” David said. He laughed nervously. He said it was my turn. “Come on,” David said. “Just think about 9/11. Shoot him.”
The artist was bent over, collecting the messy shreds of newspaper when I took my shot. I aimed off to the side, but even when the paintball just burst bloodily against the floor, I practically hyperventilated.
“I don’t like this,” I said.
David stuttered around for a little bit—9/11 this, 9/11 that. Finally he said he didn’t really like this either. Not really. The guy reminded him too much of Ravi. David rolled his eyes then. “Total stereotyping, right? Seen one, you seen ’em all. God. I sound like my worst enemy.” We left that site then and went somewhere else where we shot droids, not humans.”

I understand that this may have been Schreck illustrating the stereotype, but the scene still made me angry enough to stop reading the book for a few days. My best friend is Muslim, and I dislike anything that insinuates, in any way, that people from any race are interchangeable, that they are all to blame for one evil act. I cannot stomach that ignorance, and it makes me angry that Schreck thought this would be the best way to illustrate her point.
(less)

like · see review

May 27, 2012 Paola rated it 5 of 5 stars

I absolutely loved this book. It's the first time I read a book about the army. I admit at first I thought it was gonna be boring because there was no gonna be drama-romance you know? But I was wrong.
David goes to Iraq. Penna, being such a strong girl, has to 'survive' missing him. There she starts trying to find her grandma and when she does, Penna helps her with everything she can, while they get to know each other too. I found it really amazing how at the end, Penna makes her mom talk to her...more

like · see review

Sep 12, 2012 Jac (For Love and Books) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Have I mentioned that I love this trend of military books?? Especially from a YA view. There is something so real and wonderful about these books.

While He Was Away by Karen Schreck is no exception. I related to Penna on a level that I wasn't expecting. When her boyfriend, David, gets deployed to Iraq she finds herself moping around in a state of depression. When she pulls herself out and starts to discover life, she really finds herself in a way that she never has before.

I loved the side story o...more

like · see review

Jan 25, 2013 Jasmine Villanova rated it 4 of 5 stars

Beneath the Moon and Stars Review

This was quite an interesting read. I've never really read something like this. It wasn't really what I was expecting. I expected it to be about David's life in the military and not so much Renna's life while coping. I was mistaken though. I did learn a lot from it though and it was a pretty good read.

Renna really grew throughout the story. She was vastly different at the end. I really enjoyed her character. I liked how devoted she was to David. But, I'm glad sh...more

like · see review

Jan 14, 2013 Melissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

I received this book from a friend of mine last week. Her boyfriend had just deployed and while I haven't been an Army Girlfriend for more than 6 years she thought I might like it.
For a young adult book this one wasn't as drama ridden or fluffy as I would normally expect. The subject is one that many are finding themselves a part of, and even if you aren't an army anything, you can relate to Penna and the anxiety she goes through over David being gone. Add in Linda, Penna's mother and all the...more

like 1 like · see review

Jul 15, 2012 Charlotte rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-challenge, june-2012, may-2012-release, arc, netgalley

2.5 stars (bumped up to 3 because I'm a sucker for the cover, the description totally sold me, and maybe it's just me because a lot of other people really liked it.)

This book began well for me, but unfortunately it did not end up being a book that I can write a very positive message about or recommend to others.

I do think it's a very good idea and I liked the characters very much. I was just so disappointed when it went in multiple directions and they never really sync'd for me. Also, the end f...more

like · see review

May 29, 2012 Chucha rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: art-buff, betray, coming-of-age, clean-ya, family-problems, girl-power, i-so-love-these-books, justice-league, shy-girls, unhea-endings

Rating: 4/5

While He Was Away had me at its blurb. I wanted to see how the author will make out of this supposedly long-distance relationship between two young people who shared an intense love and are about to part ways because of the war.

David and Penna were so much in love with each other. It all started when the both of them knew they share the same passion for art. Penna is a quiet 18-year old and the only child of a single-parent mom whom she shared a somewhat edgy and strained relationshi...more Rating: 4/5

While He Was Away had me at its blurb. I wanted to see how the author will make out of this supposedly long-distance relationship between two young people who shared an intense love and are about to part ways because of the war.

David and Penna were so much in love with each other. It all started when the both of them knew they share the same passion for art. Penna is a quiet 18-year old and the only child of a single-parent mom whom she shared a somewhat edgy and strained relationship with. But their all-consuming love and devotion to one another is put to test when David is called to Iraq for a year of military service.

There are a lot of things I like about this book, despite the fact that I thought this was a cover-to-cover love story. First, is the change in the character – especially with Penna. How readers see her maturity grows everyday and how she tries and finally learn to live her life with David away from her. While He Was Away also depicts reality – that lovers really don’t live inside a fairytale. The real world is tough and heavy with problems. A lot of couples, especially military girlfriends and wives have gone through and survived it. But you can’t help to root for them, I wanted them to be together badly, I feel that they long for each other every time they have the chance to talk. That’s why the ending surprised me.

Another thing I like about this book, is that this is more than just Penna and David’s love story. It is covered with a lot of twists and turns in its subplot that will make you read it until the every last page.

While He Was Away perfectly depicts the strain of the wait, as well as the changes and shifts in the relationships in complex way. There is no fairytale happily-ever-after to finish up the open-ended conclusion of While He Was Away. But the main character Penna, showed an amazing growth of character which is truly inspirational.

I sincerely hope that Penna and David will have their happy ending (either together or with another person). Yes, I’d love to read a sequel!
(less)

like · see review

Nov 16, 2012 Jade T. rated it 3 of 5 stars

I just finished the book While He Was Away by Karen Schreck. Starting out, I couldn't find a way to get into this book. I was very interested in the cover and I thought I would get into the book right away, but I didn't. To be honest, I was bored and I couldn't keep focus even though little details and introductions were being thrown at me. But I beileve the author did a good job of getting the readers more interested in her piece.

This book has very short chapters--which I enjoy! It is easy to...more I just finished the book While He Was Away by Karen Schreck. Starting out, I couldn't find a way to get into this book. I was very interested in the cover and I thought I would get into the book right away, but I didn't. To be honest, I was bored and I couldn't keep focus even though little details and introductions were being thrown at me. But I beileve the author did a good job of getting the readers more interested in her piece.

This book has very short chapters--which I enjoy! It is easy to read but also leaves you with suspence. And the page amount is 249, which isn't too bad. It goes really fast once you get into reading it! The cover of the story is luering too because it is beautiful, soft colors with a girl and a boy in love. It leaves questions and thoughts running through your head before you read the book and get to know what it is about.

"Love can conquer any distance...right?" is a way to decribe the mood of the book. While he (David) went away to war in Iraq, his loving girl friend Penna believed love can conquer any distance. She did her duties of writing letters every day, sending care packages, and waiting beside her cell phone just in case he called. But, it was hard for love to conquer the distance he was from her. They had been together a year before he went off to fight for his country. She had just moved into town that year as a junior at Killdeer High School. "I had joined years before you moved here", David said to Penna. She didn't have an option of changing his mind, so she remained an army girl friend.

One thing Penna is determined to do during this story is find out who her grandmother is. She never got a chance to meet her since she left Penna's mom as a toddler. Penna researches for her in her time to fill in the time she can't be with David, "If anything, finding grandma Justine will pass time in replace of David". Something that Penna can relate to a picture she finds in her house of her long lost grandmother is her with a soldier from World War II. "She once loved a soldier too," says Penna.

"I tell him I love him." Penna stays in touch with her lover while he's away. She never forgets him and knows no one can take his place. He educates her as much as he can with the things he is experiencing and how different it is there. She emails back telling him how "Bonnie calls all the time," or that she "stops over to see his mom," to reasure him things are ok at home. But her duti is also to "Keep and eye on Ravi, he needs to talk to someone". Ravi is David's childhood friend who doesn't speak to anyone. David is concerned that when he went away Ravi wouldn't be able to do without him. It is Penna's job to keep talking to Ravi and make sure he is ok. Penna talks to him and they form a special bond; Ravi tells Penna all about David when they were kids and it comforts her. She apprciates being able to love David as much as Ravi loves him.

So, in the end, love can conquer distance. Penna finds ways to keep herself busy and always in contact with David. She meets people in her life to comfort her while he is away, and also unconvers family history and makes relationships stronger. Penna is just a normal teen girl with a very high spirit and can conquer anything, especially love.(less)

like · see review

Jun 16, 2012 Catie Taylor rated it 4 of 5 stars

There are few things more difficult than watching someone you care about go off to war. If that person is your first love, it's even worse. While He Was Away tells the story of Penna, a girl who is trying to find herself while her boyfriend is fighting half a world away. Along this road to self-discovery she finds the true meaning of friends, family and loving yourself. I won While He Was Away in a giveaway a couple of months ago and couldn't wait to read it. I'm so happy I did. I don't read a t...more
There are few things more difficult than watching someone you care about go off to war. If that person is your first love, it's even worse. While He Was Away tells the story of Penna, a girl who is trying to find herself while her boyfriend is fighting half a world away. Along this road to self-discovery she finds the true meaning of friends, family and loving yourself. I won While He Was Away in a giveaway a couple of months ago and couldn't wait to read it. I'm so happy I did. I don't read a ton of contemporaries because they can tend to be a bit depressing and schmultzy but While He Was Away just seemed real. It had all of the drama and uncertainty of a high school relationship mixed with the very adult world of the soldier and the girl he leaves behind. This is a very special book and I really enjoyed it.

LIKES:
Non-Political: One of the most controversial and polarizing issues of our time is the Iraq War. Everyone has their own opinions and many people are more than happy to share those opinions with others regardless of whether or not they are welcome. This can cause things to go downhill quickly with both conversations and books. There are certain times when a reader wants to explore a hot-button issue and times when they just want to read a love story. I was really happy that Schreck kept the politics at a minimum in this book. I was worried that it would be "message-y" and frankly I was just in the mood for a good read. Now, I don't have any problem with politics. In fact, I majored in Political Science in college. But, from time to time, I just don't want someone else's opinions lobbed in my general direction. Schreck was able to keep all of the intensity of the war in the story without assaulting the reader with propaganda from one side or the other.
Family and Forgiveness: Everyone has dysfunction in their family. It's just a fact of life. Some of us have crazier families than others but we all have problems. Penna is no exception. She lives with her single mom who was abandoned by her own mother and left in the care of an alcoholic father. Penna has never met her dad. Lot's of authors would take this situation and weave a web of drama and anger around it, but Schreck creates an atmosphere of love, loyalty and forgiveness. Penna struggles with their situation while trying to reassemble the pieces of her broken family. It really makes the story all the more emotional and touching.
Realistic Love: While He Was Away is not a tale of idealistic love. The relationship between David and Penna is very realistic. In the beginning of the book Penna is going through the difficult process of saying goodbye. She is deeply in love with David and has already dealt with him being gone for his training and now she has to say goodbye again, this time he will be going to a war zone.
"'Wait!' I shout. 'I'll see you again before you go, right? I'll see you tomorrow?'
But David is already driving away, lost in the dark. And tomorrow is today."
As the story goes on and David and Penna spend more time apart, they struggle to keep their relationship intact, but despite this, they still love each other. Penna has to deal with David's absence, her fear for his safety and his choice of the Army over her. It is a much more realistic portrait of young love during war time than some other books and movies do.

DISLIKES:

Writing style was hard to get used to. The book is narrated by Penna, which adds a lot of personality to the story but also can tend to get a bit confusing. Penna tends to lapse into these streams of consciousness while she's narrating and it can be hard to keep up. The storytelling can get disjointed but once you are used to it, the story flows pretty smoothly.
The ending (no spoilers). I have to say I wasn't super happy with the ending. I thought I knew where it was going and I was wrong, but I wish I had been right. It just sort of fizzled for me. I would have liked to see a better, more emotional ending, but I guess that this one works with the realism.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants a good story about a personal journey. Both David and Penna grow and change throughout the book and it's really nice to watch. The love story is also pretty good, but I wouldn't pick this one up if you're looking for a big sweeping romance novel.(less)

like · see review

Apr 27, 2012 Jena rated it 4 of 5 stars

Inspiring, hopeful, and eye-opening. I actually enjoyed this book way more than I expected to. I didn't think reading about an army couple would be my type of thing, but I was pleasantly surprised in the best way. This story is so much more then a boy who leaves a girl for Iraq.

Penna and David have the forever type of love, or so they believe. They're both so alike, so comfortable with each other. But, David is a solider now and he's leaving for Iraq. When he leaves, Penna will need to learn how...more Inspiring, hopeful, and eye-opening. I actually enjoyed this book way more than I expected to. I didn't think reading about an army couple would be my type of thing, but I was pleasantly surprised in the best way. This story is so much more then a boy who leaves a girl for Iraq.

Penna and David have the forever type of love, or so they believe. They're both so alike, so comfortable with each other. But, David is a solider now and he's leaving for Iraq. When he leaves, Penna will need to learn how to cope with a love one fighting in a dangerous situation and how to deal with being away from him. She'll need to learn how to deal with family issues that need to be solved. And mostly, she'll need to look into herself and discover who she needs to be and how to believe in herself.

Penna is such a strong character and I seriously commend her for what she goes through. I'd like to sit here and say I believe that I could be as strong as her in that situation, but I think you don't truly know what it's like until it actually happens to you. And, I believe Penna shows such true strength through out While He Was Away. On the other side, I actually really, really loved David. Just his easy-going personality and the way he cares so much for certain things was just inspiring. I also loved the who art connection between the two of them.

When I started reading the book and I realized David was leaving for Iraq and would be "gone". I'm not going to lie I was disappointed. But, Karen did a beautiful job of weaving David into the story through his letters and phone calls. But, when Penna is coping with David's term overseas Karen has us fall in love with other stories and other characters. The stories from David show us the harsher qualities of war and what soldiers actually go through over there. And I was intrigued by them. I especially enjoyed Ravi, Jules, and Caitlin roles too. Especially Ravi! I loved getting to know him.

There was one quote that kind of stuck in my brain. It's short. Simple. And not even spoken by either of the main characters. But, for some reason, I liked it a lot.

"Later," he says.
Not Goodbye.

I just feel like there's so much hope in those two tiny lines. And this story is about hope and believing and staying strong through everything. I honestly hope that Karen continues Penna and David's story because I'd love to see where it goes.(less)

like · see review

Apr 24, 2012 Justin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: owned-arc-s

While He Was Away ended up being much more than I had first anticipated. I knew it was going to be a story about a couple being separated due to the guy going off to war. But I wasn't quite expecting the other things I found within this book. I was really impressed that Karen put a lot of effort into trying to figure out how people that are going through this with the Iraq war are impacted. I've never dealt with having a love one at war, nor can I imagine how it must feel. But from reading this...more While He Was Away ended up being much more than I had first anticipated. I knew it was going to be a story about a couple being separated due to the guy going off to war. But I wasn't quite expecting the other things I found within this book. I was really impressed that Karen put a lot of effort into trying to figure out how people that are going through this with the Iraq war are impacted. I've never dealt with having a love one at war, nor can I imagine how it must feel. But from reading this book, I really felt like everything portrayed in it was believable.

The story is heart wrenching. It's sad enough seeing everything Penna goes through while David is away. There is so much to the story though. It's a story about the importance of family, and the things you can learn if you just take the time to ask. It's about how you can overcome loss and cherish the moments you have with the people you care about. It's just a beautiful story, while the main plot line revolves around Penna and David there is so much more that makes it even more powerful of a story than it would be just with that plot line.

I loved these characters. There is absolutely nothing about any of the characters in While He Was Away that I disliked. They are all extremely real and believable. With a story such as this, that is something you want to see. You really feel the sadness, happiness, and everything else that the characters feel while you're reading this book. Penna and David's relationship is put to a test, but you really find yourself pulling for them to make it through the things they're going through. And then you have Penna and David's friends that are there for her and try and do everything they can to keep her strong. Things get interesting once you learn more about Penna's family though, there are several characters I won't talk about but they have a huge impact on the story and really help make this story amazing.

I found the ending to be somewhat disappointing. This always tends to happen to me when I am really enjoying a story. I just really would of liked to have found out more of what happened with Penna, David and her family. There was closure, but I always feel like things could be explained a little better. I know that is a difficult thing to do with contemporary, especially since most of the times I run into this issue it's in a contemporary novel. I do think Karen did a good job wrapping things up. I think my disappointment simply comes from me trying to grasp for more, not that is was a bad ending.

While He Was Away is a great read. It has a powerful story that can really play with your emotions. Karen did an amazing job writing this novel, and as I mentioned above I love the fact that she went through so much effort to make this book feel real to readers. I really think she accomplished that, I know I felt it. I hope you all will check this book out whenever you get a chance. It's well worth it.(less)

like 3 likes · see review

title link	preview: While He Was Away
avg rating	preview: While He Was Away Goodreads rating: 3.38 (823 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12912154-while-he-was-away?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1331604439l/12912154.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12912154-while-he-was-away?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]While He Was Away by Karen Schreck[/url]

While He Was Away

Friend Reviews

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topic
Discuss This Book

combine
Other Editions (3)

Genres

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Karen Schreck

Books by Karen Schreck

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website

Trivia About While He Was Away

Quotes from While He Was Away